Tuesday, October 28, 2008

(Chicago, IL) Hudson's nephew was found murdered today ending a frantic 3-day search. It was a crushing blow after her mother and brother were found murdered Friday and Jennifer Hudson has the grim task of identifying the bodies. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.

Friday, August 15, 2008

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of the thirty-first anniversary of his passing, Elvis Presley holds a commanding lead in the voting for RockinTown.com's Greatest Rock Artist of All-Time. Presley, who easily out-polled Pearl Jam (2006 winner) and Nirvana (2005 winner) last year could become the first artist to top the survey twice.

Presley, rock n' roll's first superstar, set the bar -- and set it high. With talent to burn and charisma that has never been matched, Presley's catalog continues to log impressive sales worldwide. That his career was able to survive over a dozen bad movies and a slew of toss-off late-70's concert albums is a true testament to his talent and enduring appeal.

Trailing Presley in the voting are Led Zeppelin (#2), Green Day (#3), The Beatles (#4) and Nirvana (#5). Evanescence and My Chemical Romance have a few hundred vote lead over the Rolling Stones who are currently 10th on the list. Over 69,000 votes have been cast for 63 groups or solo acts -- only Presley has garnered more than 10% of the ballots.

"The Top 5 is a pretty eclectic group," said Mark Clinton, RockinTown.com's manager. "There's the King of Rock n' Roll, the Hammer of the Gods, Punk, the Fab Four and Grunge. Rock's breath and scope is encapsulated right there."

Fans are allowed to vote once a day through the New Year's Eve deadline with the annual winner announced on New Year's Day. Voters must be RockinTown.com members but membership is free. Rock fans can go to http://www.rockintown.com/ to register and vote.

RockinTown.com is also polling fans for the Best Artist of 2008. This award goes to a group/performer that has released an album of original material in the past 12 months. Currently, Puddle Of Mudd (for "Famous") leads the voting.

RockinTown.com, an entertainment site, chronicles rock's history from the beginning to the present with over 750 artist bios and a daily rundown of key events in rock history (Today In Rock). Rock fans can exchange views, find like-minded enthusiasts, lobby for favorite bands and review albums in the RockinForum.

The movie was shot at locations in Nigeria and the UK.
The scenes in the village in Western Nigeria were well shot and the scenes in London were good. The performance of the cast was good. The cameramen did very well.

Ronke Ojo who played the leading role of "Ayoka", the semi-literate Yoruba village beauty also wrote the story. The exposé on the Nigerian visa racketeering in the UK was a good plot in the serio-comic movie.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Prezident Music artist Princestar will be making several special appearances throughout the summer at various music festivals and venues in major cities throughout the United States. (PRNewsFoto/Celebrity PR Co.) NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES 06/17/2008

17 Jun 2008 11:48 Africa/Lagos

Hip Hop Artist Johnny Prez Launches Music Label

NEW YORK, June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-platinum hip hop artist Johnny Prez has launched Prezident Music, a music production company and record label based in his home town of San Juan, Puerto Rico with a satellite office in New York City to open in July.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080617/NYTU073 )

Prezident Music's future release forecast will include Johnny Prez's next CD titled "Imperdonable" which is currently being produced by Johnny Prez and with co-producers Scott Storch, Elvis Garcia, and Predicador. Other artists to be featured on the CD are Lil Wayne, Akon, and Jamie Foxx. "Imperdonable" is expected to be released later this year worldwide. As for other artists on the label, Prezident Music has been developing a promising rapper by the name of Princestar, a seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican rapper from Brooklyn. Production on Princetar's project will begin shortly at the Prezident Music studios in San Juan with a projected winter '09 release.

"We are extremely excited about Princestar; he is extremely talented, unique, genuine, down to earth and full of energy. He reminds me a lot of Johnny -- both have positive messages in their music and aim to please their audiences," says Ruben Malaret, Manager for both Johnny Prez and Princestar. Princestar will be making several special appearances throughout the summer at various music festivals and venues in major cities throughout the United States. "We want to introduce Princestar to the masses of attendees at these festivals; they will love him," continued Malaret.

Prezident Music is currently developing a reality series to air on VH1, a series that will help Prezident Music find their next artist. More information on the show and how upcoming artists can participate will be available on the label's official web site: www.prezidentmusic.com . For updates and more information on Johnny Prez and Princestar, please visit their official web sites: www.johnny-prez.com and www.princestar.com

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Pop sensation Al Walser, through his recording label 'Liechtenstein Kingdom,' releases the new single that has America buzzing!To See the video, go to http://myspacetv.com and check the featured video section.

LOS ANGELES, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of Americans take a first look at what life might look like with Obama and Clinton together in the White House on social website, MySpace.Fans of Barack Obama and supporters of Hillary Clinton have finally come together celebrating the Democratic Dream Ticket through music on the Internet.

The controversial videoclip, a sort of "Dream Ticket gone wild" interpretation, depicts the presidential nominees as animated characters commanding, dancing and singing together to promote the one theme all of America agrees on.

The catchy song "Naked," with its surprising cameo appearances from cartoon candidates, has already had thousands of views within its first hours of release alone, and is expected to be seen by over a million Internet users by the end of next week. Due to heavy fan demands, MySpaceTv and HOLLYWOOD.TV announced today that they will feature the video on their frontpages throughout this entire weekend. HOLLYWOOD.TV founder Sheeraz Hasan: "This has got to be the funniest music video I have seen this year!"

The video is a response from impatient fans that have been waiting for Senator Clinton and Senator Obama to stop debating each other and come together as one democratic powerhouse. As Fox News reported (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354680,00.html), Clinton was offered 1 million dollars to appear in one of Al Walser's upcoming music videos last month. As she mulled over the idea, fans put out this bootleg video with an animated Clinton and Obama, giving us a glimpse of what life could be like in Washington for the next four years if the Dream Team ticket is elected into office.

Al Walser, a Goodwill Ambassador to the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein and its country's first bi-racial citizen, has been generating a lot of buzz in the U.S. bringing him into constant contact with high profile celebrities and politicians such as Obama and Clinton. Al Walser is quickly surpassing celebrities in Internet searches on popular sites such as YouTube, iTunes, and MySpace. The club hit "Naked," was officially released worldwide last week.

LOS ANGELES, June 3 /PRNewswire/ --Multi-platinum two-time Grammy-winning rock band Linkin Park has announced that acclaimed hip-hop innovator Busta Rhymes will join their Projekt Revolution 2008 lineup. Rhymes and Linkin Park recently collaborated on "We Made It," the first single and video from Rhymes' upcoming album, Blessed. By touring together, Linkin Park & Busta are taking a cue from the chorus of their song: " ... we took it on the road ... ".

As recently pointed out in Rolling Stone's "Summer Tour Guide," the tour will see nine acts joining rock superstars Linkin Park, who are also offering concertgoers a digital souvenir pack that includes a recording of the band's entire set. As the band's co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda told the magazine, "That puts extra pressure on us to make sure our set is different every night."

The fifth installation of Linkin Park's raging road show will see them headlining an all-star bill that features former Soundgarden/Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell, electro-rockers The Bravery and Ashes Divide featuring Billy Howerdel, known for his work with A Perfect Circle. The Revolution stage will be headlined by metallic act Atreyu and features hard hitters 10 Years, fiery Ohio natives Hawthorne Heights and buzz band Armor For Sleep. Also performing will be percussive force Street Drum Corps. The tour launches July 16 at the Tweeter Center in Boston.

Produced by Live Nation and partnered with Major League Baseball, Monster Energy Drink, Verizon Wireless and Nowwhat.com, Projekt Revolution 2008 sees Linkin Park building upon the success and excitement of previous Revolution tours, which included artists such as My Chemical Romance, Korn, Snoop Dogg, HIM, Xzibit and Mudvayne, among others.

"We started Projekt Revolution six years ago and have been lucky to have toured with some great bands," says Linkin Park co-frontman Chester Bennington. "This year, however, might just be the best lineup yet. We're looking forward to taking this show on the road and bringing great music to the masses."

Last month Linkin Park took a break from their headlining tour in support of new album MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT and traveled to New Orleans to help families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The band joined volunteers from Music for Relief, and Habitat homeowner families from New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity to build homes in the damaged Gulf Coast area. Prior to that, Linkin Park's nonprofit organization, Music For Relief, initiated a partnership with Hollywood for Habitat For Humanity to fund and build homes in hurricane ravaged areas. Additionally, Linkin Park recently donated $1 from each ticket sold on their European & UK, U.S. & Canadian headlining dates to Music for Relief for a tree-planting initiative.

With Projekt Revolution 2008, Linkin Park continues to give back, as $1 from every ticket sold will go toward Music for Relief to support disaster relief and reduce global warming. In just over a year Music For Relief has raised over $1 million for reforestation, planting over 797,000 trees. Music For Relief endeavors to help victims recover and rebuild following natural disasters but also works to reduce global warming. During Projekt Revolution 2008, Music for Relief will continue its grassroots outreach to fans to educate them on how to reduce their own carbon emissions and how those changes can have a global effect.

About the Main Stage Artists

Linkin ParkLinkin Park (Bennington, drummer Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, DJ Joe Hahn, bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and vocalist Mike Shinoda) is touring in support of double-platinum-selling album MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT and new top ten hit single "Given Up." The album, one of the highest-debuting discs of 2007 and the seventh best-selling album of the year, has already spawned three additional top ten hits ("Bleed It Out," "What's I've Done," "Shadow of the Day"), amplifying an already illustrious career. Since arriving in 2000, Linkin Park has won two Grammy Awards (Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002 with their hit single "Crawling" and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Jay-Z in 2006 for the innovative "Numb/Encore"), sold more than 45 million albums worldwide (their Diamond-Certified debut Hybrid Theory has sold more than 18 million copies alone), and garnered an international fanbase whose members number in the millions. According to the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), Linkin Park was 2007's best-selling rock band, with MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT moving 4.8 million units worldwide.http://www.linkinpark.com/

Chris CornellRanked 12th in MTV's "22 Greatest Voices in Music" survey, ahead of such icons as David Bowie, Steven Tyler and Bruce Springsteen, Chris Cornell has been called "the single most dynamic rock and roll force produced by the Grunge Revolution of the early 90s." As the frontman for Soundgarden, he marshaled five studio albums including the groundbreaking Superunknown, which went multi-platinum and earned two Grammy Awards. His songwriting continued to develop with the critically acclaimed side project, Temple of the Dog, a collective of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden members who formed in tribute to late Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood. During his tenure as frontman for the rock supergroup Audioslave, he continued his multi-platinum success and produced hit singles "Like a Stone," "Cochise" and "Be Yourself." Cornell's songs have been featured on film soundtracks including Pump Up the Volume, Wayne's World, True Romance, Feeling Minnesota (a title taken from one of Cornell's own Soundgarden lyrics), Singles, Great Expectations, Mission: Impossible II, Collateral and BUG. Cornell's second solo album, CARRY ON (Suretone/Interscope), marks his 13th studio album and was released in June 2007. Carry On includes the 2008 Grammy nominated "You Know My Name," the theme song from the last James Bond installment, Casino Royale (Columbia Pictures). Cornell was honored to be the first American male in history to create a theme song for the classic James Bond film franchise. Cornell is currently in the studio with super-producer Timbaland working on his third solo album. In addition to his work in the music world, Chris Cornell served as the face of the 2006 John Varvatos ad campaign and became a restaurateur with the opening of Black Calavados (BC) in Paris, where he lives with his wife Vicky and two young children.http://www.chriscornell.com/

Busta RhymesBusta's previous album, 2006's The Big Bang, his first for Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, became the first #1 Pop album of his career, and fourth #1 R&B/Hip-hop album. Spinning off the Top 20 Pop hit "Touch It," The Big Bang claimed the top spot in its first week and went gold. The album followed his gold It Ain't Safe No More. The Brooklyn-born, Long Island-raised Busta Rhymes (named by Chuck D of Public Enemy) launched his solo career in 1996 with the platinum #1 R&B/Hip-hop The Coming and its Top 10 platinum "Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check." Called "the most idiosyncratic personality in rap and possessor of its most recognizable delivery, a halting, ragga-inspired style with incredible complexity, inventiveness, and humor" (All Music Guide), Rhymes followed with three more platinum albums: When Disaster Strikes (#1 R&B/Hip-hop), Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front) (#2 R&B/Hip-hop), Anarchy (#1 R&B/Hip-hop) and Genesis (#2 R&B/Hip-hop), and their gold Top 10 Pop hits "Dangerous," "Turn It Up" and "What's It Gonna Be." His highly anticipated new album, BLESSED, arrives in stores June 17.http://www.bustarhymes.com/

The BraveryThe Bravery - singer/guitarist and songwriter Sam Endicott, guitarist Michael Zakarin, bassist Michael Berreto Hindert, keyboardist John Conway, and drummer Anthony Burulcich just re-launched their highly lauded album, THE SUN AND THE MOON COMPLETE, as part of a two-disc configuration. Disc one (THE SUN) is the original 12-song album issued last May. The album was produced and mixed by two-time Grammy Award winner Brendan O'Brien. Disc two (THE MOON) is the album reimagined/reworked by the New York-based Bravery, who were recently named Artist of the Week on MTV's 52/52. The album features Top 10 Modern Rock hit "Believe," whose video was recently added to MTV, MTV2, VH1 and Fuse, following its premiere on Yahoo! "Believe" has been featured on a plethora of television shows, including "The Hills," "Friday Night Lights," "Grey's Anatomy," "Gossip Girl," "Moonlight," "Las Vegas," "Rescue Me" and "Reaper." The song has also been heard on two new video games "Madden '08" and "Game With Fame," and is receiving additional exposure in the current Pontiac and Gap advertising campaigns.http://www.thebravery.com/

ASHES dIVIDEASHES dIVIDE is the new band formed by lead guitarist/singer-songwriter Billy Howerdel -- founder/producer of multi-platinum group A Perfect Circle, the band he led with Tool frontman Maynard Keenan through three albums (two platinum and one gold). Three weeks before the April 8th release of Howerdel's long-awaited first solo project, KEEP TELLING MYSELF IT'S ALRIGHT, lead single "The Stone" was the No. 1 Most Streamed Song at both the Alternative and Rock formats of Clear Channel Online New and its video has been added at both Fuse and MTV2. In a recent Entertainment Weekly poll of film and television music producers, Dana Sano (Dan In Real Life) praised ASHES dIVIDE for sounding " ... so very dreamy rock with a '90s feel." Howerdel produced and engineered the new album in Los Angeles, playing guitar, bass and keyboard. Longtime collaborator Danny Lohner (APC, Nine Inch Nails) helped out with the recording process, while drummer Josh Freese (APC) appears on the album. Other contributors include Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde), Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio), and Paz Lenchantin. Innovative Brit producer Alan Moulder, known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, My Bloody Valentine and the Killers, mixed the album in London.http://www.ashesdivide.com/

About Revolution Stage ArtistsAtreyuThe Orange County, CA-based hard rockers are touring in support of LEAD SAILS PAPER ANCHOR, which debuted at No. 8 on Billboard's Top 200, making it both the highest debut and highest-charting album of the band's career. It follows 2006's A Death-Grip On Yesterday, which entered the chart at No. 9. The album, produced by John Feldmann (The Used, Good Charlotte) and mixed by Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Slipknot, Linkin Park), drew rave reviews from around the world, including Metal Hammer, who declared it to be "a truly landmark album." Kerrang! gave the record 4 K's and Blender gave it 3 1/2 stars and called it "metal that takes you to a magical bygone era." Revolver awarded the album 4 stars and praised it for flowing "beautifully through the speakers" and for being "a coffin-tight collection of singles." Since the album's release, the band shared stages alongside Korn and Evanescence on the Family Values Tour and blazed a headlining run of their own. They're currently co-headlining the Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour with Avenged Sevenfold. Their new hit single, "Falling Down," is currently No. 3 on Billboard's Alternative Rock Chart.http://www.atreyurock.com/

10 YEARS10 Years recently put the finishing touches on new album DIVISION, readying it for a nationwide in-store release on May 13th. DIVISION was helmed by acclaimed producer Rick Parasher (Pearl Jam, Nickelback, Soundgarden, Rob Zombie). Recorded during what the band has described as "an intense creative process" this past summer, songs on DIVISION include "Just Can't Win," "In Your Eyes," "Day Dreamer," and the band's latest radio hit, "Beautiful." 10 Years came to the attention of the rock world with 2005's Autumn Effect which unleashed one of 2005-2006's biggest rock radio hits with the mythic single "Wasteland." The iconic song not only set career highs for the band when it was certified gold, it reigned on US rock charts for more than a year, notching the #4 year-end spot on the Active rock chart, and eventually pulled off a hat-trick of #1 slots at Active rock, Alternative rock and Billboard's Modern rock chart. The album also spawned a second hit single for the band, "Through The Iris."http://www.10yearsmusic.com/

Hawthorne HeightsHawthorne Heights (vocalist/guitarist JT Woodruff, drummer Eron Bucciarelli, guitarist Micah Carli and bassist Matt Ridenour) will be supporting the follow-up album to 2006's gold-selling IF ONLY YOU WERE LONELY, which is slated for release early summer '08. Hawthorne Heights broke onto the scene in 2004, selling a staggering one million copies of their debut release The Silence In Black And White, which featured cult hits "Ohio Is For Lovers" and "Niki FM." Since that time the band has toured relentlessly, developing a rabid fanbase and selling nearly 2 million albums worldwide. Projekt Revolution marks the bands triumphant return after a tumultuous year of setbacks and great personal loss.http://www.hawthorneheights.com/

Armor For SleepThe New Jersey-based post-hardcore quartet has been busy promoting their recent release SMILE FOR THEM, a compelling third addition to their ever-evolving catalogue of music. The band formed in the suburban utopia of northern NJ in 2002, catalyzed by singer/guitarist Ben Jorgensen's songwriting and desire to form a band centered around it. The release of the group's debut, Dream To Make Believe, in 2003 on independent label Equal Vision Records, thrust them on tour where receptive listeners were attracted to the genuine, personable sensibility of the band and their music. But 2005's critically acclaimed concept-based follow-up, What To Do When You Are Dead, set them far apart from the other bands swimming in the deep sea of emo bands, and put them distinctly on the top of the bubbling genre. Selling over 220,000 records to date, the album solidified the bond between band and fan, and eventually piqued the interest of Sire Records who signed them in 2006. Having played shows with the likes of Against Me!, Taking Back Sunday, All-American Rejects and Underoath, the band is ready to join this year's Projekt Revolution.http://www.armorforsleep.com/

Street Drum CorpsKnown for their high-energy percussion shows, which Kevin Lyman (founder of the Vans Warped Tour) calls a "Punk Rock Stomp," Street Drum Corps bring an unparalleled dynamic element to an evening's event. Bobby Alt, Adam Alt, and Frank Zummo formed Street Drum Corps in Los Angeles in 2004. They use found and traditional instruments. SDC has been touring the world the past four years. Tour highlights include: Vans Warped Tour, SXSW, Coachella, Matisyahu, Australian Tour, MTV $2 Bill Tour with 30 Seconds To Mars, Six Flags Magic Mountain, The Used, Guitar Center Drum Off and Taste Of Chaos. SDC was recently inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame's "Warped Tour Exhibit." They also performed on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and Fuse TV.http://www.streetdrumcorps.com/

About the PartnersMajor League Baseball's Access To The Show:Now in its sixth year, "Access To The Show" is a summer festival tour featuring the MLB Road Show, a high-tech tractor-trailer that's completely outfitted to give fans a chance to have an all-encompassing baseball experience. The truck includes pitching and batting cages, kiosks featuring the latest MLB video games, and showcases the MLB Authentic Collection line of apparel, which includes the jerseys, headwear and outerwear that are identical to what is worn by players on all 30 clubs. The MLB Road Show will be returning to Projekt Revolution as the sole professional sports league sponsor, and will receive exclusive branding rights for the MLB Authentic Collection as well as Second Stage sponsorship, bringing together music and baseball in a unique and exciting festival environment. Over the years "Access To The Show" has become a major part of the summer festival experience for music fans everywhere, having been along for the ride with festivals and tours such as SXSW, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Vans Warped Tour, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch Music Festival, Projekt Revolution, Virgin Festival, Langerado, and many more.

Monster Energy DrinkMonster Energy supports the music scene from top concert tours like Projekt Revolution to up-and-coming bands on their quest to break through. The bands are pounding down Monster more than ever. Check out the entire Monster line-up: Original Monster Energy, Monster-Lo Carb, Monster Assault and the new Monster/fruit juice hybrids Khaos, M-80 and Mixxd.

Now What will be onsite with an interactive booth where concert goers can stop by to get their free online photo, win great prizes, and pick up their net decoder card to enter the daily and grand prize sweepstakes online. Plus, concert goers can log on to NowWhat.com after the show to watch exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the tour!

About Live NationLive Nation is the future of the music business. With the most live concerts, music venues and festivals in the world and the most comprehensive concert search engine on the web, Live Nation is revolutionizing the music industry: onstage and online. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol "LYV." Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.livenation.com/ under the "About Us" section.

LOS ANGELES, May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Winners were announced last tonight during the second annual Spike TV "Guys Choice" (http://www.spike.com/guyschoice/) held at the Sony Studios in Los Angeles. Hosted by stars John Cho and Kal Penn, the show that pays homage to the best in "guydom" premieres on Spike TV (http://www.spike.com/) Sunday, June 22 (10:00 PM-Midnight, ET/PT).

Box office smash hit "Iron Man" garnered the "Guy Movie of the Year" honor. Star Robert Downey, Jr. and director Jon Favreau were on hand to receive the award.

Playboy editor-in-chief and chief creative officer and American icon, Hugh Hefner, was given the first ever "Alpha Male Award" for his pioneering vision and ground-breaking achievements that forever changed the face of entertainment for men.

The show also honored one of the most successful comedies of all time, as "There's Something About Mary" was inducted into the "Guy Movie Hall of Fame" with Bobby and Peter Farrelly, as well as castmembers Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, Lin Shaye and Markie Post on hand to accept the honor. Diaz was also there to receive the "Decade of Hotness" award.

In addition to honoring the sexiest women and coolest guys from the past year, the show featured unforgettable tributes to legendary entertainers, rockers and babes, as well as edgy stand-up comedy and ground breaking musical performances. A full list of winners is included below:

To view exclusive footage, interviews, behind-the-scenes access, and more from the "Guys Choice," log-on to www.spike.comThe official sponsors of Spike TV's "Guys Choice" (http://www.spike.com/guyschoice/) are Cingular, now the new AT&T, Corona, Degree Men, Pizza Hut, Sega: "The Incredible Hulk Video" Game, SoBe and the U.S. Army.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Dima Bilan clinches Russia's first victory in the Eurovision Song Contest. The show, held this year in Belgrade, drew a television audience of some 100 million for the annual glitz-fest now in its 53rd year.

WASHINGTON, May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan hosted a special screening last evening for the award winning Jordanian film, "Captain Abu Raed," marking the first time the film is shown to Washington's diplomatic and policymaking circles.

"Captain Abu Raed," the first Jordanian feature film ever exported to the world's cinemas, is a winner of the Audience Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and the Dubai International Film Festival. "We are very proud of the film's success here in the United States' vast and competitive movie industry. Films are indeed a potent intercultural weapon that we hope to use more often to enhance people's understanding of the complex beauty of our region," said His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra'ad, Jordan's Ambassador in the United States, as he welcomed guests at the screening. He added, "We can only expect more Jordanian winning films in the near future; especially given the rich pool of young and talented Jordanians aspiring to become part of the world of film and the arts."

"Captain Abu Raed" presents a universal story of friendship, inspiration and heroism set in contemporary Jordan. It is also a story of everyday people intersecting across social boundaries and of individual destinies coming together into one. The film also captures breathtaking footage of Amman and especially of East Amman, where the first settlers of the Capital gave life to the city.

The special screening was followed by a vibrant discussion with the talented writer and director Amin Matalqa and the esteemed executive producer David Pritchard. The discussion was moderated by Foreign Editor of the Washington Post, Scott Wilson who lived in Amman-Jordan as well as Jerusalem as the Post's chief Middle East correspondent.

The special screening is part of the Embassy's cultural program, organized by the Jordan Information Bureau, which aims to introduce the American audience to Jordan's rich cultural heritage and its hospitable and complex people.

NEW YORK, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The most original and wonderfully bizarre comedy variety show is now casting! The New York open casting call for "The Gong Show with Dave Attell" will take place Thursday, May 22 at Arlene's Grocery at 95 Stanton Street in Manhattan, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.

Performers should submit their name, phone number, type of act and any links or videos to gongshowcasting@aol.com or call 310-840-5721 to register for the open call audition.COMEDY CENTRAL and host Dave Attell are looking for the wackiest, wildest, most bizarre, unique performers out there! All acts are welcome -- from cutting edge variety to stupid human tricks and animal tricks, from the dark to the daring to the downright insane! "The Gong Show with Dave Attell" premieres Thursday, July 17 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

The official press release on the 2008 BET Awards was sent out last night, but I waited to preview the preparations and nominees before reporting it. I bet you that indeed BET Awards '08 is the hottest ticket on TV this summer.

Quincy Jones Will Be Honoured With The 2008 BET Humanitarian Award

17 May 2008 14:00 Africa/Lagos

Updated - The 'Hottest Ticket on Television' Has Been Announced: The BET Awards '08

T-Pain Leads the Pack with Five Nominations, Chris Brown Follows Closely with Four Nods, Kanye West and Keyshia Cole with Three and Mary J. Blige, Flo Rida and Alicia Keys Hold Steady with Two Each

The Eighth Annual BET AWARDS '08 Will Be Televised LIVE from Los Angeles' Famed Shrine Auditorium on Tuesday, June 24 with Performances by Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Lil' Wayne and Nelly.

NEW YORK, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- BET Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA; VIA.B), today announced the nominees, performers and recipients of the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian honors for the BET AWARDS '08. The BET AWARDS '08 is raising the stakes and promises to be the "hottest ticket on television" for the eighth year running, as the biggest stars in music, sports and entertainment unite in Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium for a night of explosive LIVE performances on Tuesday, June 24 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. As in years past, the BET AWARDS '08 will continue its landmark tradition of hot performances by some of today's heavy hitters, including Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Lil' Wayne and Nelly. The host, along with additional presenters and performers, will be announced shortly.

Chris Brown

At this year's most hyped event, BET will recognize the achievements of artists, entertainers and athletes in 15 categories. Hip hop R&B singer, songwriter and producer T-Pain tops the line-up with five nominations for his collaborations with Chris Brown, Kanye West and Flo Rida, followed by Chris Brown with four nods and rapper/producer Kanye West earning three nominations with his successful third album, "Graduation," in the Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration and Video of the Year categories.

Kanye West

Among the other multiple nominees are R&B songstress Mary J. Blige for Best Female R&B, as well as Video of the Year for "Just Fine," along with Ne-Yo, Flo Rida, Alicia Keys and Keyshia Cole.

Keyshia Cole

Those nominated for the second straight year include Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne for Best Male Hip Hop; Mary J. Blige for Best Female R&B; last year's Best Male R&B winner Ne-Yo; Angela Bassett and Chandra Wilson for Best Actress; last year's winner, basketball sensation LeBron James, boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and golfing phenomenon Tiger Woods for Male Athlete of the Year; smash hitter and four-time category winner Serena Williams and b-ball superstar Tamika Catchings for Female Athlete of the Year.

In keeping with the history-making track record of the most highly anticipated night in Black entertainment, BET is pulling out all of the stops in naming this year's special honorees. Legendary R&B icon Al Green will be in the house to receive BET's Lifetime Achievement Award. Joining him will be celebrated producer/arranger/composer Quincy Jones, who will be honored with BET's prestigious Humanitarian Award for his outreach to young African- Americans through the Listen Up Foundation, a charity which connects youth with music, technology and culture. In addition, Jones helped launch the We Are the Future project, giving hope to children in poor and conflict-ridden areas.

For the past seven years, the BET AWARDS has boasted unforgettable moments such as Michael Jackson's surprise appearance during James Brown's tribute; Rick James in his final duet with Teena Marie; Will Smith presenting Muhammad Ali with the first-ever Humanitarian Award; Prince onstage backing Chaka Khan; Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams and India.Arie in a powerhouse tribute to Rufus' first lady of funk; Destiny's Child's steamy lap dance; the reunion of one of hip hop's most beloved trios, The Fugees; and last year's touching opening performance with Jennifer Hudson and Jennifer Holliday and Public Enemy's tribute to James Brown.

BET has once again teamed with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards(R) and the seven record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen Hill, BET Executive Vice President, Music and Programming, along with Lynne Harris-Taylor, BET Vice President of Specials, will executive produce the telecast.

Monday, May 12, 2008

From the Wachowski brothers and producer Joel Silver, creators of the groundbreaking "The Matrix" trilogy, comes the high-octane, live-action family adventure "Speed Racer," which follows the adventures of the young racecar driver Speed (Emile Hirsch) in his quest for glory in his thunderous Mach 5. The Wachowski brothers directed "Speed Racer" from their own screenplay. Joel Silver, Grant Hill, Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski are the producers, with David Lane Seltzer, Michael Lambert and Bruce Berman serving as executive producers. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Benno Furmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Asian pop superstar Rain, and Richard Roundtree. Based on the classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, the live-action "Speed Racer" will showcase the kind of revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowski brothers' films. "Speed Racer" is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Anarchos Productions. This film is rated PG. www.speedracerthemovie.com

Multi-Platinum Rapper and Actor T.I. Speaks to Toure about His Trouble With the Law in a BET News National Exclusive: 'T.I. Speaks,' Premiering Wednesday, May 7 at 7:30PM*

NEW YORK, May 6 /PRNewswire/ --

In his first televised interview since a plea bargain on weapon charges, multi-platinum recording artist and actor T.I., a.k.a. Clifford Harris, Jr., speaks exclusively to BET News in the half-hour special T.I. SPEAKS, premiering Wednesday, May 7 at 7:30 PM*. He directly answers the tough questions from host Toure and at-risk youth about his life and future after being sentenced to a year in prison. In a compelling moment, he explains why someone who seems to have everything -- money, power and fame -- would risk it all.

On October 13, 2007, T.I. was set to perform at BET's second annual HIP HOP AWARDS in Atlanta, but he never made it to the stage. Just hours before the show, the Grammy Award winner and budding actor was taken into custody by federal authorities who alleged that he gave his bodyguard cash to buy firearms. Never bashful in his lyrics about his days of drug dealing and guns, this arrest was just another line in the 27-year old Atlanta native's already long rap sheet.

While not making excuses for his poor decisions, the rapper discusses his best friend's murder in 2006 and explains how being a celebrity has its drawbacks and "ignites a certain paranoia." He says, "Every one knew me and I knew no one ... you can't tell if a person is a fan or not until the (car) window winds down." With a new baby on the way, a forthcoming marriage, a new album and the one-year jail sentence awaiting him, T.I. details how this entire ordeal has changed his life. Claiming a new understanding for life and its meaning, T.I. delivers a strong message about decision-making to a group of at-risk students and reveals his thoughts about going back to jail and his career's future. He says, "I must be a man and stand up and accept responsibility. I exercised extremely poor judgment, and for that, I must be willing to pay whatever price that comes before me."

For more on T.I. SPEAKS, viewers can go online to www.bet.com.

* All times ET/PT.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks -- BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which offers ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

Madonna's exclusive performance at New York City's famed Roseland Ballroom will be available live to millions of fans via an online broadcast at MSN Music, it was confirmed today by MSN and Control Room, which announced that the show will stream live Wednesday evening, April 30, at 10 p.m. EDT in the United States and will be available on demand to international audiences on May 15. Along with some past hits, Madonna will be debuting several new songs including her 37th No. 1 smash single "Four Minutes" from her upcoming CD Hard Candy, which is scheduled to be released on April 29. The Control Room- produced show will also include never-before-seen rehearsal footage, a pre- recorded interview with Madonna and her full performance, giving fans around the globe unprecedented access to one of the biggest music events of 2008 by simply logging on to MSN Music In Concert.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

"Madonna is a legendary performer, and we're thrilled to be bringing this live online broadcast to her fans on the heels of her Hall of Fame induction, her record-breaking 37th top-10 single '4 Minutes,' and in conjunction with the launch of this hotly anticipated new album," said Aaron Grosky, Control Room president. "As experts in bringing live music performances to the Web, Control Room will deliver Madonna fans an online experience that captures the excitement and authenticity of this exclusive show."

Control Room, the leading producer and distributor of world-class entertainment content, delivers nearly 40 live music shows per year to the MSN Music In Concert series. Past performances have included international superstars such as Rihanna, Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow and many more. Coming in May, fans can watch performances by Jack Johnson and Daughtry. The Music In Concert series (http://music.msn.com/inconcert), which is available in 42 countries and 21 languages through the international MSN network, gives music fans worldwide the chance to see live music performances from their favorite artists.

"MSN Music In Concert is one way we are bringing together the best and most compelling entertainment content on the Web," said Rob Bennett, general manager, entertainment, video and sports, MSN. "Madonna has a huge international following, and we are very excited that we're able to offer the exclusive webcast of her concert to her fans around the world."

About Control Room

As the leading producer and distributor of world-class entertainment, Control Room's live music programming showcases the world's biggest artists from a variety of venues through multi-platform broadcasts via television, broadband and wireless platforms. Control Room has produced and distributed nearly 100 live music events delivering the highest quality productions in the industry with 8-10 camera shoots in Native HD (1080p) and using Dolby 5.1 to ensure the most compelling audience experience. In 2007, Control Room produced the largest entertainment event in history, Live Earth. On July 7, 2007, the 7-continent, 24-hour music extravaganza featured 150 of the world's leading artists to raise awareness for the Climate Crisis with a message of solutions and personal responsibility.

About MSN Video

MSN Video is one of the largest free programmed video services on the Web, watched by more than 12 million unique users per month. In addition to streaming news, entertainment and sports video clips from more than 50 content partners including "The Today Show," FOX Sports, MSNBC, Reveille, Control Room, CBS, News Corp. and Fox Entertainment Group, MSN Video presents a broad array of live events to online audiences worldwide. More than 50 top advertisers support MSN Video, which is available to consumers at no charge. MSN Video is available on the Web at http://msnvideo.com/ to consumers in the U.S. MSN Video is also live in Australia, Canada, France (English and French), Japan, Netherlands, U.K., Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Mexico, Sweden, Belgium, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, Russia and in Spanish in the U.S. MSN Video is coming soon in China, Norway, Argentina, Chile and Columbia.

Overall, MSN, Windows Live and Microsoft.com attract more than 550 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering Web services to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. Most recently, MSN partnered with Control Room to stream Live Earth, the largest online entertainment event in history, with over 62 million streams worldwide.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

The Future of Film Distribution; Documentary LEADING TO WAR Released Worldwide on the Web in 19 Languages

BOSTON, April 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

The unique documentary film LEADING TO WAR is redefining conventional film distribution. Praised by the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as a "staggering film," the 72-minute documentary, constructed from selected news footage, powerfully chronicles the Bush administration's rush to war in Iraq.

The release of LEADING TO WAR pushes the boundaries of film distribution beyond the new media strategies of even the most forward-thinking Hollywood studios. Taking a page from the Web 2.0 playbook, the producers of LEADING TO WAR are offering the complete film online for free via progressive streaming or download at www.LeadingToWar.com.

This is a far more powerful distribution system than is possible in theaters, as this release is available on demand, around the world. To support this international push, the film is subtitled in an unprecedented 19 languages.

The model is similar to that of a classic tiered Web 2.0 service like the photo sharing site Flickr.com. The product is provided for free, attracting a large number of users. An enhanced product is then offered to customers seeking a premium experience. For Flickr, it's more storage for photos, with fewer restrictions. For LEADING TO WAR, the premium experience is watching the film on DVD, which is available for purchase on the website via Amazon.com.

This new business model is what noted venture capitalist and blogger Fred Wilson named "The Freemium Business Model," which has been widely cited in leading business publications and blogs:

"Give your service away for free, possibly ad supported but maybe not, acquire a lot of customers very efficiently through word of mouth, referral networks, organic search marketing, etc, then offer premium priced value added services or an enhanced version of your service to your customer base."

For LEADING TO WAR, the DVD -- the premium product -- provides the highest quality viewing experience. The expectation is that DVD sales will be significantly increased by the higher viewership and awareness which only the free availability can attract.

This "Freemium" strategy is working. Notable comments online include:

"This is an amazing film. Let's buy DVDs to support these guys," "I'm buying the DVD for my parents," and "I will show this DVD to as many people as I can, and I will save it for my 3 year old son for his future watching."

In conjunction with the film, a companion website, www.LeadingToWar.com, examines the strategies and rhetorical techniques used by Bush officials. The film and website create the most comprehensive online resource about the build-up to the Iraq War.

To enhance the availability of LEADING TO WAR around the world, the film utilizes the Akamai Content Delivery Network, with 20,000 "edge servers" worldwide. This improves the quality of the streaming as well as the speed of download in virtually every country.

"We are amazed at the initial results," said producer Lewis Wheeler. "Within days of LeadingToWar.com going live, the film was viewed in each of the 19 subtitled languages, and within 2 weeks the site was visited from 142 different countries."

LEADING TO WAR was directed by Barry Hershey (whose first feature film, "The Empty Mirror," premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival) and was edited by two-time Emmy Award winner Marc Grossman.

For appearances and phone interviews with the filmmakers, contact AaronLavallee at 001+301-887-1060 or aaron@kelleycampaigns.comFirst Call Analyst:FCMN Contact:

Friday, April 25, 2008

U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges today sentenced Wesley Trent Snipes to three years imprisonment for charges of failing to file income tax returns. Snipes was found guilty by a jury on February 1, 2008. Eddie Ray Kahn, of Sorrento, Florida, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment and Douglas P. Rosile, of Venice, Florida, was sentenced to four years and six months' imprisonment.

The same jury found Kahn and Rosile guilty of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and presenting a fraudulent claim for payment to the IRS. Kahn was the founder and leader of American Rights Litigators (ARL), a tax protestor organization based in Lake County, Florida. Rosile prepared returns for ARL clients, such as Snipes.

"Snipes' long prison sentence should send a loud and crystal clear message to all tax defiers that if they engage in similar tax defier conduct, they face joining him and his co-defendants, Kahn and Rosile, as inmates in prison," said Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Tax Division.

"The law is very clear: people must pay their taxes," said Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman. "There is no secret formula that eliminates a person's tax obligations, nor are there any special exceptions. The majority of Americans pay their taxes timely and accurately. Those who willfully violate the law must be held accountable."

This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). It was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill, Assistant United States Attorney Scot Morris, and Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. McLellan, U. S. Department of Justice Tax Division.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

CONTACT: Steve Cole of the U.S. Department of Justice, +1-813-274-6136,+1-813-274-6300 (fax); or U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs,+1-202-514-2007

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Video Stars You as Part of the 25th Anniversary Celebration!

Seminal Video from the 20th Century is Enhanced by Breakthrough Technology for the Next Century

PASADENA, Calif., April 11 /PRNewswire/ --

For the first time ever and through the magic of technology, anyone can now star in the greatest music video of all time -- Michael Jackson's Thriller -- as part of the album's worldwide 25th anniversary celebration! Michael Jackson and Epic/Legacy Recordings (Sony BMG) have partnered with innovative media company Big Stage and YouTube to bring this landmark entertainment experience to the world. Central to the tribute is the ability for fans to easily create a life-like 3-D version of themselves that literally replaces the role of Michael Jackson in the music video. This cutting edge technology was developed by Big Stage. The campaign begins today at www.MichaelJackson.com/mythrillervideo.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060130/LEGACYLOGO)

"This is a great tribute to Michael Jackson, involving one of the greatest and most innovative music videos of all time," said Jonathan Strietzel, co-founder and chief creative officer, Big Stage. "We're excited about working with Epic/Legacy Recordings to demonstrate the first public Big Stage experience -- inserting a photo-realistic avatar of 'you' into digital content. This is just a taste of the way consumers will be able to personalize everything from famous movie scenes to video games, virtual worlds and social networking sites, when we officially launch next quarter."

"Michael Jackson is an innovator and a pioneer in the music industry and so it only makes sense, as part of our anniversary celebrations for Thriller, to give fans worldwide a new way to experience the video in a way not even Michael could have imagined 25 years ago," said J.J. Rosen, Executive Vice-President, SonyBMG Commercial Music Group. "Our partnership with Big Stage, is an amazing way to fundamentally change people's interaction with content."

Once users have uploaded their photos to create their personalized Thriller video, they will be sent a link to a YouTube page where the video will be posted. From there, it can be shared with friends by email and posted on social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook. A recent fan generated video reached the Top 25 viewed Entertainment videos on YouTube, and most recently, MTV caught wind of the My Thriller Video tool, and produced a piece with their talent showcasing the process for MTV.com NewsBlog.

The Michael Jackson Thriller 25th anniversary celebration kicked off in December 2007 with the release of a new single and continues throughout 2008 with a multi-faceted global marketing campaign featuring high-profile television, radio and online events around the world. The Big Stage-enabled Thriller video piece is part of Epic/Legacy Recordings' viral campaign in support of the album's 25th anniversary release on February 12, of which the first single was "Wanna Be Startin' Something 2008," a duet between Michael Jackson and Akon. The album has already sold 2 million copies worldwide.

With Big Stage's 3-D capture technology, users will take three simple pictures of themselves with a digital camera and upload them to the Web, where they will be quickly converted into a life-like 3-D avatar called an @ctor(TM). Big Stage's proprietary technology will automatically map the contours of a user's face to generate an incredibly accurate replica of the user, fully equipped for animation. In under a minute, your @ctor will be born and fully alive through realistic movement and gestures. Users can then style it with a host of accessories, from hair to eyeglasses, tattoos, hats and more.

After users create and style their @ctors, they can drop them into the library of Big Stage-enabled user and professionally created content or Scenes. These highly personalized Scenes can then be shared by users across everything from famous movie scenes, TV shows and video games, to music videos, short video clips, virtual worlds, still images, user-generated content, instant messages, e-mails, social networks and more -- instantly. Big Stage will officially launch to consumers in the second quarter of 2008.

About Big Stage

Big Stage is a media company, currently in Beta, whose breakthrough technology allows users to easily create and integrate a life-like 3-D avatar of themselves, called an @ctor, into everything from famous movie scenes, TV shows and video games, to music videos, short video clips, virtual worlds, still images, user-generated content, instant messages, e-mails, social networks and more -- instantly. Big Stage will launch to consumers in the second quarter of 2008. For more information and to sign up for the Big Stage Beta program, please visit www.BigStage.com.

About Thriller

Epic/Legacy Recordings proudly celebrates the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's Thriller with a newly expanded deluxe edition of the phenomenal record-breaking pop culture touchstone. The Thriller -- 25th Anniversary Edition will include the original album in its entirety as well as seven bonus tracks and a DVD featuring Michael Jackson's groundbreaking short films from Thriller ("Thriller," "Beat It," and "Billie Jean") and the artist's Emmy-nominated breakout performance of "Billie Jean" from the legendary "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" television special. Additionally, the newly expanded version of Thriller premieres six tracks previously unreleased in any form: "Beat It 2008" with Fergie; a new Kanye West remix of "Billie Jean"; a new 2008 version of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" with Akon; will.i.am remixes of "The Girl Is Mine" and "P.Y.T."; and "For All Time," a rare unreleased cut from the original Thriller recording sessions, newly mixed and mastered by Michael Jackson. Originally released in the United States 25 years ago on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records, Thriller, Michael Jackson's sixth solo album and second with producer Quincy Jones, rocketed the former child-star lead singer for the Jackson 5 into the stratosphere of international superstardom. In 1985, the Guinness Book of Records named Thriller the Best Selling Album of All Time, an achievement which remains unsurpassed to this day.

After selling tens of millions of albums, breaking records with 18 number one hits on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs Chart and nonstop touring, Enrique Iglesias is Bigger on mun2. The Madrid born, Miami raised pop star comes to mun2 for a month long campaign of performances, holamun2.com originals, hosted shows, interactive features, original promos, music video blocks, and exclusive interviews. Bigger on mun2 brings the multi-platinum artist to the screen in a big way beginning April 7th.

"mun2 is bringing a true pioneer of bilingual pop to fans with our exclusive Bigger on mun2 treatment of original, irreverent, and candid content on-air and online," said Flavio Morales, mun2 Vice President of Programming. "Kicking off the new season of Vivo with Enrique Iglesias, one of the greatest international pop stars of all time, is a huge treat for our audience."

-- Holamun2.com: This holamun2.com original unveils exclusive coverage of the reunion between Enrique and his beauty mark on its very own late night talk show. The hilarious vignette is set to appear online and on Holamun2.com: El Show, mun2's newest show that brings the award winning mun2 web to both screens at 9PM on Thursday, April 24th.

-- 2RSLVJ: Enrique is the VJ on April 12 at 9PM as he picks his favorite videos from his new "95/08" greatest hits album. You think he always got the superstar treatment? Just wait until you find out what his mom used to call him. This candid, relaxed half hour with the sarcastic superstar will surely raise some eyebrows.

-- The Shuffle: Throughout the month, Pico will be serving up the latest Enrique news and on April 16 at 5PM, fans can catch behind the scenes footage from Enrique's Live in Belfast tour.

-- VIVO: host Yasmin Deliz kicks off the third season of the hit music variety show by interviewing the Biggest artist for the job, Quique himself. Enrique dishes on the media's major misconceptions about him, his dogs, and even gets literally up close and personal with hugs and kisses to the studio audience on Thursday May 1st at 8PM.

For exclusive images, original vignettes and promos, news and all things Bigger on mun2, visit holamun2.com/bigger

Note to Editors: Additional photos available upon request.

About mun2:

mun2 is the preeminent voice for Latino youth in America. Launched in 2001, mun2 was the first national cable network to offer bilingual programming for young U.S. Latinos. mun2 is a multiplatform youth entertainment network that offers authentic content that reflects the lifestyle of the fastest-growing segment of the Hispanic population with original, relevant and cutting-edge programs in proven genres including music, movies, sports, fashion, and social activism. The network, which reflects emerging trends in all areas of pop and youth culture that are endorsed by its bicultural audience, is available nationwide on digital and analog cable, satellite and free television. mun2 will reach 24 million U.S. TV households and is the first-ever Latino youth-oriented cable network to have full subscription to the Nielsen Homevideo Index measurement service. The network is part of Telemundo Cable Networks, a division of NBC Universal TV Networks Distribution.

About holamun2.com:

For your daily dos of candy, glitters and freejoles, visit http://holamun2.com/, mun2's fully interactive site featuring all things mun2. A portal for bicultural youth to experience entertainment on their terms, holamun2 features exclusive interviews, original videos, entertainment news, interaction with other mun2 fans and ways to vote for what's next on mun2. From politics and pop to videos and video games, holamun2.com is the online destination devoted to the lifestyles of Latino youth.